If your kids have recently received the news that they need glasses, it’s up to you to help them come to terms with this big change. Whether your kids are excited or worried, they’ll probably have lots of questions about why they need glasses and whether they’ll need to wear them forever. These tips can help them to understand what’s going on and give them more confidence to go out into the world with their new specs.
If your child has a new friend with glasses, or a friend who needs new glasses, they may also come to you with questions about glasses. Talking with your child about their questions may help them understand their friend better.
Keep Things Simple
So what are high index lenses? And how does myopia cause glaucoma? And how can you prevent macular degeneration? While these are questions you might have for your optician, your kids are unlikely to benefit from any of this information.
Don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers. All you need to do is reassure your children that nothing is wrong with them. Let them know that their new glasses will give their eyes a little extra help to stop them from getting tired and to help them see better. Try to put a positive spin on wearing glasses so they don’t feel bad about their new eyewear.
But don’t be afraid to explain some terms like long and short-sighted. These simple words can be understood more easily by your child and will make them feel important when explaining their new glasses to their friends at school.
You may also want to explain blue light to your children and encourage them to wear blue light glasses when using devices before bedtime. Sleep is very important for children, although they love to stay up past their bedtime whenever given the chance. A child who has troubles falling asleep after using a device may understand that the blue light is affecting her sleep schedule, and that wearing blue light blocking glasses could help.
Give Them Control
Allowing your kids some control over the glasses they end up wearing can help them to connect more with their eyewear. Have your optician explain how nose pads can make their specs more comfortable and the differences between lens shapes and frame materials.
They’ll also have lots of fun choosing a color. Try to let them get creative here. Even if the thought of yellow glasses makes you wince, your child will feel a lot happier if they have their favorite color on their face all day.
Shopping for glasses online may give your kids more of a chance to explore their favourite colours or shapes, without pressure from a salesperson to buy a certain pair of frames. You may also find better prices online that make your child’s glasses more affordable.
Proper Care
It’s no secret, glasses can be expensive, so you want your kids to take good care of them. Show your children how to clean their glasses with a special soft cloth.
Make sure you properly educate the little ones on how to stop glasses from getting broken. Emphasize the importance of never leaving their glasses somewhere where they could get stepped on or scratched. This is easier if your child has to wear their glasses all the time, but if they’re only for reading, they’ll probably be taking them on and off during the day.
Community
If your kids still aren’t convinced about their new glasses, try to connect them with family members or people they look up to. This is a lot easier if you or your partner wear glasses, as you can tell them they’ll be just like you. Children often want to copy their parents, but this could also work if one of their friends has glasses or even a favorite cartoon character.
Have fun with your child and their new glasses. If you are positive and excited about this change for them, then they are more likely to be happy as well.
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